Nagpur: Manish Sureshkumar kept the Indian flag flying as he scored close-fought win against qualifier Henry Patten of Great Britain to reach the singles semifinals at the $15,000 KPIT-MSLTA ITF WTT Cup Men’s Tennis Championships, being organized by MSLTA in association with Deccan Gymkhana and played at their tennis courts in Pune on Friday.
In the quarter-finals played on Friday, the sixth seeded and Chennai lad Manish Suresh Kumar came back from loss of the first set to get past qualifier Henry Patten of Great Britain 3-6, 7-6(3), 6-4 in a match lasting nearly 3 hours.
“I’m happy to come through and make the semifinals, it was a game of patience today and I managed to keep my cool,” said the 21-year-old lad, who is coached by Suresh Kumar at Chennai.
In the semifinals, Manish will take on fourth seeded Oliver Crawford of USA, who survived anxious moments before overcoming local lad and national champion and the seventh seed Arjun 6-3, 7-6(5).
Kadhe failed to seize his chances and squandered a 5-3 lead in the second set and a 5-2 advantage in the tie-breaker. Crawford held on strongly in an hour and 48 minutes to enter the last four.
In the other semi-finals, Sweden’s fifth seeded Jonathan Mridha stunned second seeded Simon Carr of Ireland 7-5, 2-6, 6-1 in 2 hours and 38 minutes match.
Mridha will now take on winner of the previous two legs at Lucknow and Indore, Zane Khan.
The eighth seeded American Khan came back from loss of the first set to upset third seeded Aidan Mchugh of Great Britain 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 in a 2-hour and 52-minute tussle.
Local player Arjun Kadhe pairing with Luca Castelnuovo of Switzerland made it to the men’s doubles finals.
In the semifinals, the second seeds Arjun Kadhe and Luca Castelnuovo outplayed the wildcard Indian pair of Anvit Bendre and Parikshit Somani 6-4, 6-4.
In the summit clash, the Indo-Swiss pair will take on Irishman Simon Carr and American Alexander Kotzen, who scraped past Zane Khan of USA and Dalibor Svrcina of Czech Republic 6-4, 3-6,10-7.
The singles semifinals will start at 10 am while the doubles finals will be played at 4 pm.
RESULTS
Men’s singles (Quarter-finals)
5-Jonathan Mridha (SWE) bt 2-Simon Carr (IRL) 7-5, 2-6, 6-1
8-Zane Khan (USA) bt 3-Aidan Mchugh (GBR) 4-6, 6-4, 6-0
4-Oliver Crawford (USA) bt 7-Arjun Kadhe (IND) 6-3, 7-6(5)
6-Manish Sureshmukar (IND) bt Q-Henry Patten (GBR) 3-6, 7-6(3), 6-4.
Men’s doubles (Semi-finals)
2-Arjun Kadhe (IND)/Luca Castelnuovo (SUI) bt Anvit Bendre (IND)/Parikshit Somani (IND) 6-4, 6-4
Simon Carr (IRL)/Alexander Kotzen (USA) bt Zane Khan (USA)/Dalibor Svrcina (CZE) 6-4, 3-6, 10-7.
